{"title":"Optimizing Xanthan Gum for Enhanced Fire Extinguishing Performance of Eco-Friendly Short-Chain Fluorocarbon Surfactant Foam","authors":"Wenjun Zhao, Zhisheng Xu, Long Yan","doi":"10.3390/fire8120463","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/fire8120463","url":null,"abstract":"Addressing the environmental challenges posed by traditional foam extinguishing agents containing persistent pollutants, the development of eco-friendly alternatives has become imperative. This study investigates the effect of xanthan gum (XG) on the fire extinguishing performance of PFH-BZ foam formulated with short-chain fluorocarbon surfactant. By analyzing foam formation, drainage characteristics, and suppression process, the underlying mechanism by which XG influences foam extinguishing performance was elucidated. The results indicate that XG exerts dual effects on foam properties. While its viscosity-increasing effect improves foam stability, excessive XG addition impairs foaming and spreading capabilities, reducing fuel surface coverage and smothering efficiency. Moreover, a high concentration of XG hinders drainage behavior, which in turn inhibits the formation of spreadable aqueous films, thereby reducing cooling and extinguishing efficiency. The PFH-BZ foam with 0.02 wt.% XG exhibits excellent foaming and spreading capabilities, enabling rapid coverage of fuel surfaces. Additionally, its moderate drainage characteristics facilitate spreadable aqueous film formation, achieving efficient cooling and smothering effects. The optimized PFH-BZ foam exhibits the shortest extinction time of 35.4 s, the lowest transient temperature rise of 60.8 °C, and the highest cooling rate of 16.8 °C/s. Environmental assessments reveal that the optimized PFH-BZ foam exhibits higher biodegradability than conventional foam.","PeriodicalId":36395,"journal":{"name":"Fire-Switzerland","volume":"8 12","pages":"463-463"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/8/12/463/pdf?version=1764576421","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147333872","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Bio-Based Chitosan/Agar/Phytic Acid Coating Enhanced Flame Retardancy of Wood Applied to Aircraft Cabin Interiors","authors":"Lin Shi, Quanyi Liu, Pei Zhu","doi":"10.3390/fire8120461","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/fire8120461","url":null,"abstract":"The aviation industry needs to develop sustainable, fire-safe cabin interior materials. Although wood is eco-friendly, its high flammability makes it challenging to meet flame retardant standards. Enhancing wood fire safety requires the creation of an environmentally friendly and flame retardant coating. In this study, a new type of intumescent flame retardant (IFR) coating was applied to the wood surface using the layer-by-layer (LBL) technique, with fully bio-based chitosan (CS), agar, and phytic acid (PA) as key components. The coated wood demonstrated improved durability, flame resistance, and thermal stability. Particularly, the Wood-2 sample achieved a vertical burning test (UL-94) V-0 rate and a limiting oxygen index (LOI) of 53.1%, which exceeded most previous reported flame retardant coatings. Cone calorimeter test and infrared thermography analysis confirmed that a thick layer of intumescent char formed when the coating was exposed to heat, effectively hindering heat transfer and oxygen supply. This flame retardant effect is attributed to a synergistic mechanism involving nitrogen/phosphorus (N/P) elements. This study offers an environmentally friendly solution for wood flame retardancy and lays an experimental and theoretical foundation for the development of green aviation interior materials.","PeriodicalId":36395,"journal":{"name":"Fire-Switzerland","volume":"8 12","pages":"461-461"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/8/12/461/pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147333874","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Xiaoqiang Zhang, Jinghong Sun, W. Z. Li, Qin Zhang
{"title":"Experimental Study on Inhibition Characteristics of Imidazolium-Ionic-Liquid-Loaded Sepiolite Composite Inhibitor","authors":"Xiaoqiang Zhang, Jinghong Sun, W. Z. Li, Qin Zhang","doi":"10.3390/fire8090343","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/fire8090343","url":null,"abstract":"In response to the prevalent issues of short inhibition cycles and poor environmental compatibility in traditional inhibitors, this study prepared a new sepiolite-based composite inhibitor by loading imidazolium ionic liquid onto sepiolite. Through TG-DTG analysis, cone calorimeter experiments, and FTIR spectroscopy, we comparatively investigated the combustion characteristics of the composite inhibitor and its effects on the oxidation properties, inhibition performance, and active functional groups of coal samples. The results demonstrate that appropriate loading optimizes the thermal stability of sepiolite. Compared with conventional inhibitors, the composite exhibited the minimum weight loss rate at characteristic temperatures and achieved greater delays in critical temperature points of coal samples. The composite inhibitor delayed ignition time by 27–44 s compared to conventionally inhibited coal. The 3% [BMIM][BF4]/sepiolite formulation showed CO emission peak intensity 3.02 times that of raw coal within 0–200 s, while reducing CO2 production rate by 10.56% compared to MgCl2-treated samples at 1000 s. The PPFI exhibited maximum enhancement. Post-inhibition analysis revealed a 22–51% reduction in peak areas of active functional groups, indicating that the sepiolite-based composite achieves inhibition through synergistic physical and chemical interactions. Ultimately, a sepiolite-based composite inhibitor with environmental benignity was developed, whose inhibition performance is significantly enhanced compared to the traditional inhibitor MgCl2. This research provides theoretical foundations for developing advanced inhibitor materials in coal mine applications.","PeriodicalId":36395,"journal":{"name":"Fire-Switzerland","volume":"8 9","pages":"343-343"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/8/9/343/pdf?version=1756286320","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147330679","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Fire-SwitzerlandPub Date : 2025-08-01Epub Date: 2025-08-18DOI: 10.3390/fire8080331
Sam D Faulstich, Klara Kjolme Fischer, Matthew J Strickland, Heather A Holmes
{"title":"The Impact of Fire Emissions Inputs on Smoke Plume Dispersion Modeling Results.","authors":"Sam D Faulstich, Klara Kjolme Fischer, Matthew J Strickland, Heather A Holmes","doi":"10.3390/fire8080331","DOIUrl":"10.3390/fire8080331","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Fire smoke significantly affects human health and air quality. The HYSPLIT dispersion model estimates the area impacted by smoke downwind, but the results are sensitive to input data. This study investigates the impact of different fire emissions inputs on dispersion modeling results, focusing on three versions of the Wildland Fire Emissions Inventory System (WFEIS) used to initialize HYSPLIT. The three input datasets include MODIS (FEI_BASE), a combination of MODIS and MTBS (FEI_COMBO), and a version incorporating a cloud cover regression (FEI_COMBO+CC). Dispersion modeling results are compared across the western U.S. for 2013, 2016, and 2018, showing up to 200% variation in results depending on the input. Model results are validated with ground-based PM<sub>2.5</sub> data and visible satellite imagery. The cloud cover regression improves the identification of fire days missed by the base dataset, potentially impacting health effects studies. Correlations between modeled PM<sub>2.5</sub> and EPA data improve with FEI_COMBO+CC, particularly in 2013 and 2016, making it a stronger candidate for use in health effects research. Despite some variability in RMSE, the higher correlation observed with FEI_COMBO+CC supports its use as a more accurate representation of fire-relatedPM<sub>2.5</sub> transport.</p>","PeriodicalId":36395,"journal":{"name":"Fire-Switzerland","volume":"8 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13313046/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148354004","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Fire-SwitzerlandPub Date : 2025-08-01Epub Date: 2025-08-11DOI: 10.3390/fire8080319
Nimit N Shah, Sara A Jahnke, Brittany S Hollerbach, Derrick L Edwards, Jason Roy, Olivia A Wackowski, Alberto J Caban-Martinez, Taylor M Black, Kaleigh Hinton, Brian S Kubiel, Cristine D Delnevo, Judith M Graber
{"title":"A cross-sectional assessment of the individual- and fire department-level factors affecting volunteer firefighter cardiorespiratory fitness.","authors":"Nimit N Shah, Sara A Jahnke, Brittany S Hollerbach, Derrick L Edwards, Jason Roy, Olivia A Wackowski, Alberto J Caban-Martinez, Taylor M Black, Kaleigh Hinton, Brian S Kubiel, Cristine D Delnevo, Judith M Graber","doi":"10.3390/fire8080319","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/fire8080319","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Volunteer firefighters often have lower cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and less access to health monitoring and fitness programs than career firefighters, yet few studies explore how individual and departmental factors influence their CRF. This study assessed associations between CRF and both firefighter-level (e.g., years of service, firefighting calls, and firefighter rank) and department-level (e.g., department characteristics and fitness infrastructure) factors among volunteer firefighters. Surveys were administered to United States volunteer firefighters and departments, capturing CRF and related characteristics. CRF was analyzed as both a continuous and categorical variable (≤8, >8-<10, 10-<12, ≥12 METs) using bivariate analyses and mixed effects linear and logistic regression. Among 569 incumbent volunteer firefighters from 41 departments, 79.9% did not meet the recommended 12 METs threshold. Only 56.8% of departments provided routine physical exams; 35.1% had a wellness coordinator or committee; and 40.5% offered fitness resources. More years of service were associated with lower CRF and reduced odds of meeting the 12 METs benchmark, while more frequent training and responding to more calls were associated with better CRF. These findings highlight individual and structural challenges for CRF in volunteer fire service, underscoring the need for targeted fitness support to protect firefighter health and community safety.</p>","PeriodicalId":36395,"journal":{"name":"Fire-Switzerland","volume":"8 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12646035/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145640759","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Huiling Jiang, Jie Teng, Dong Wang, Liang Zhou, Yirui Chen
{"title":"Numerical Investigation of the Wan’an Bridge Fire and the Protection Effect of Intumescent Flame-Retardant Coatings","authors":"Huiling Jiang, Jie Teng, Dong Wang, Liang Zhou, Yirui Chen","doi":"10.3390/fire8050184","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/fire8050184","url":null,"abstract":"The Wan’an Bridge, the longest wooden lounge bridge in China with a history of more than 900 years, was devastated by a catastrophic fire in 2022. This tragic event underscores the susceptibility of historical wooden structures to fire damage. In this article, the bridge’s intricate structure and the development of the fire incident are introduced in detail. To gain a deeper insight into the patterns of fire propagation across the bridge and assess the reliability of fire simulations in predicting fire spread in historical wooden structures, we utilized the Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS), with a sophisticated pyrolysis model and thermal response parameters specifically tailored to ancient fir wood. The modeling results reveal that the FDS simulation reflects the actual fire spread process well. Both the investigation and simulation findings indicate that once the flame reaches above the bridge deck, it enters a rapid three-dimensional propagation phase that is exceptionally challenging to control. Furthermore, the modeling results suggest that the application of intumescent fire-retardant coatings can significantly delay fire spread, reduce heat release rates, and suppress smoke production, thereby making them an effective fire prevention measure for historical wooden buildings.","PeriodicalId":36395,"journal":{"name":"Fire-Switzerland","volume":"8 5","pages":"184-184"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/8/5/184/pdf?version=1746601721","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147908205","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Fire-SwitzerlandPub Date : 2025-03-01Epub Date: 2025-03-14DOI: 10.3390/fire8030112
Richard R Suminski, Sara A Jahnke, Natinee Jitnarin, Christopher Kaipust, Christopher K Haddock, Walker S C Poston
{"title":"Illicit Prescription Opioid Use Among U.S. Firefighters.","authors":"Richard R Suminski, Sara A Jahnke, Natinee Jitnarin, Christopher Kaipust, Christopher K Haddock, Walker S C Poston","doi":"10.3390/fire8030112","DOIUrl":"10.3390/fire8030112","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Firefighters are vulnerable to opioid misuse given the adverse effects their occupation has on mental and physical health. Yet there are limited data on opioid misuse within this population. This study examined the prevalence of illicit prescription opioid use among a nationally representative sample of U.S. firefighters and factors related to opioid misuse. Data were collected through reliable questionnaires from 617 firefighters prior to participating in an intervention designed to mitigate the negative impacts of trauma. The lifetime prevalence of illicit prescription opioid use was 14% compared to 13% in the general U.S. population. The most commonly misused opioids were hydrocodones with trade names Vicodin, Lortab, and Lorcet (72% of those illicitly using opioids). Illicit prescriptions opioid use was not significantly correlated with any demographics examined. However, firefighters who engaged in illicit opioid use exhibited poorer mental health, more alcohol-related problems, and an increased likelihood of misusing other prescription medications. In a regression analysis, alcohol consumption issues, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and the illicit use of sedatives and tranquilizers emerged as significant predictors of illicit prescription opioid use. Illicit prescription opioid use by firefighters is a potential problem especially when considered along with other factors such as mental health. Longitudinal studies are needed to further deepen our knowledge about this issue.</p>","PeriodicalId":36395,"journal":{"name":"Fire-Switzerland","volume":"8 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12912795/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146221083","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yu Liu, Baohui Chen, Chuanping Wu, Tiannian Zhou, Bichen Pan
{"title":"Development and Evaluation of Steel Component Coatings for Substations/Converter Stations with Both Fire and Corrosion Prevention Functions","authors":"Yu Liu, Baohui Chen, Chuanping Wu, Tiannian Zhou, Bichen Pan","doi":"10.3390/fire8010001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/fire8010001","url":null,"abstract":"There are a large number of steel components in substations/converter stations whose performance is seriously affected by being exposed to environmental corrosion and fire, endangering the operation of the substation/converter station. The current protective measures for steel components in substations/converter stations primarily involve the application of anti-corrosion and fireproof coatings. However, these coatings can easily peel off, resulting in a significant loss of their protective effectiveness. In response to this challenge, a new type of silicone-modified epoxy resin substrate has been synthesized by chemically grafting silicone resin onto epoxy resin segments, which retains the high adhesion of epoxy resin while enhancing its weather resistance. The use of synthesized nano zinc oxide-modified graphene oxide as a fireproof filler significantly improves the physical barrier effect and corrosion resistance of the coating. Additionally, the innovative addition of new metal anti-corrosion active pigments improves the adhesion and impermeability of the coating. Therefore, a steel structure coating for substations/converter stations with both fire and corrosion prevention functions has been developed. Standard tests conducted by national institutions have shown that the coating meets the performance requirements.","PeriodicalId":36395,"journal":{"name":"Fire-Switzerland","volume":"8 1","pages":"1-1"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/8/1/1/pdf?version=1735024865","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147888450","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Michael‐Shawn Fletcher, Anthony Romano, Simon Connor, Alice Laming, S. Yoshi Maezumi, Michela Mariani, Russell Mullett, Patricia Gadd
{"title":"Conservation Agendas and the Denial of History. Reply to Penna, I. and Feller, M.C. Comments on “Laming et al. The Curse of Conservation: Empirical Evidence Demonstrating That Changes in Land-Use Legislation Drove Catastrophic Bushfires in Southeast Australia. Fire 2022, 5, 175”","authors":"Michael‐Shawn Fletcher, Anthony Romano, Simon Connor, Alice Laming, S. Yoshi Maezumi, Michela Mariani, Russell Mullett, Patricia Gadd","doi":"10.3390/fire7110391","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/fire7110391","url":null,"abstract":"This is a reply to the comments of Penna [...]","PeriodicalId":36395,"journal":{"name":"Fire-Switzerland","volume":"7 11","pages":"391-391"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/7/11/391/pdf?version=1730276601","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147915754","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yongtae Jeon, Jungwoo Park, Jongyoung Park, Chan-Yong Kang
{"title":"Fire Risk of Polyethylene (PE)-Based Foam Blocks Used as Interior Building Materials and Fire Suppression through a Simple Surface Coating: Analysis of Vulnerability, Propagation, and Flame Retardancy","authors":"Yongtae Jeon, Jungwoo Park, Jongyoung Park, Chan-Yong Kang","doi":"10.3390/fire6090350","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/fire6090350","url":null,"abstract":"Building fires can spread through surface combustion of both combustible and interior finishing materials. Recently, the use of foam blocks as interior materials for high-rise residential buildings has increased. However, as foam blocks are primarily composed of polyethylene, they are not flame-retardant and can readily burn and the fire can spread, leading to large-scale damage. Herein, the fire hazard and diffusion characteristics of foam blocks were compared with those of flame-retardant and general wallpapers to confirm the risk of fire. The fire risk of the foam blocks was confirmed using flammability, cone calorimetry, and spread-of-flame analyses. Based on a comparative analysis of the fire risk of foam blocks, the average total heat release was 11.2 MJ/m. This is approximately three times higher than the average heat release rate of the flame-retardant wallpaper and approximately two times higher than that of the general wallpaper. The foam blocks ignited rapidly owing to fire and generated large amounts of combustion gas and heat. To prevent such a fire, 5 wt% montmorillonite (MMT) was simply coated after surface modification to suppress the occurrence of fire. Various flame-retardant materials, surface modifications, and fire safety systems must be developed to prevent fire hazards.","PeriodicalId":36395,"journal":{"name":"Fire-Switzerland","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2023-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47099966","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}